Magazine bolt-gun



No. 609,60l. Patented Aug. 23, I898.-

T. B. WILSON.

MAGAZINE BOLT GUN.

(Application filed may 9, 1695.)

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

Patented Aug. 23, I898.

No. 609,60l.

T. B. WILSON. MAGAZINE BOLT GUN.

(Application filed my 9, 1895.)

4 Sheats$heat 2.

(No Model.)

NE Noam:

No. 609,601. Patented Aug. 23, I898. T. B. WILSON.

MAGAZINE BOLT GUN.

(Application filed May 9, 1895.), (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shpt 3.

, mnmunmu mum! fireiafirr No. 609,60l.

Patented Aug. 23, I898. T. B. WILSON.

MAGAZINE BOLT GUN.

(Application filed. May 9, 1895.) 7

4 Sheetv-Shet 4.

(No Model.)

A a/(MM;

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE. C

THOMAS I3. WILSON, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES E. BILLINGS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

MAGAZINE BOLT-GUN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,601, dated August 23, 1898. Application filed May 9, 1895. Serial No. 548,725. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS B. WILSON, a citizen of, the United States of America, residing in Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Magazine Firearms and Bolt-Guns, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

Heretofore magazine-firearms have been provided with magazines of various forms of construction, and in a large majority of such arms one or more springs have been employed to operate to feed the cartridges from the magazine to the receiver, and when loading such magazines it has been found necessary to compress these springs. Such construction is objectionable for very many reasons, among which may be stated the difliculty and inconvenience found in compressing the springs when loading the magazine and the great liability of the springs to fail to properly operate and feed the cartridges as required when in action, such springs failing to give the requisite positive motion, and the great liability found in springs so employed to become broken or otherwise gotten out of repair. Firearms have also heretofore been provided with magazines wherein the employment of springs to feed the cartridges therefrom has been avoided; but in such constructions the magazine has been permanently located and in fixed position, rendering the arm unsightly and inconvenient and objectionable in many respects. The means heretofore employed, also, of cutting off the magazine to prevent the cartridges being fed to the receiver have been complicated and easily gotten out of repair.

The construction and operation of magazine-guns heretofore made have been found objectionable because of the fact that the gun could not be conveniently used as a singleloader.

Bolt-guns as heretofore constructed have been found objectionable also for various reasons,among which may be stated the great liability of the bolt to become broken, bent, or otherwise disarranged under strain, and

the construction of all guns now made is such that when subject to the great strain resulting from the employment of modern explosives a breaking or disarranging of some of the parts is veryliable to result, thus rendering the arm unfit for use.

The object of my invention is to provide a construction wherein the employment of springs to feed the cartridges from the magazine to the receiver is entirely avoided and wherein the cartridges are fed by gravity and to provide a construction wherein the arm may be employed as a single-loader with the same degree of convenience as if the arm were not a magazine-gun and a construction wherein the magazine is so located and operated that the arm is not rendered cumbersome thereby.

My object is, further, to provide a construction wherein the strain resulting from the employment of high explosives will not disarrange or in any manner affect the operation of the device; and my object is, generally, to provide a firearm which shall be simple in construction, of few parts, capable of easy and rapid operation as a magazine-arm or a single-loader, and which shall be free from the objections heretofore existing.

I shall accomplish the object of my invention by the construction set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters and figures of reference indicate like parts, Figure l is a side view, with a part of the stock shown in section. Fig. 2 is an end View of the receiver. Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the cocking-piece. Fig. 4 is a side view of the bolt detached from the receiver and having the extractor-bar, the cockingpiece, and the sleeve mounted thereon. Fig. 5 is a side view of the same in longitudinal section. Fig. 6 is aside View of the cookingpiece and firing-pin spindle. Fig. 7is a side view of the sleeve. Fig. 8 is an end view of the same. Fig. 9 is a sectional side view of the receiver with the magazine mounted thereon. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the trigger. Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the sear-screw. Fig. 12 is a perspective View of the sear. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the hopper. Fig. 14 is a perspective View of the latch, and Fig. 15 is a plan view of a section of a receiver having the hopper mounted thereon.

In detail, A indicates the stock; B, the receiver; C, the rear wall thereof; D, the trigger-guard; E, the bolt; F, the handle-bar; II, the barrel; J, the extractor-bar; K, the firingpin head; L, the firing-pin spindle; a, the cock ing-piece; Z), the sleeve; 0, the extractor; d, the ejector; e, the hopper; f, the trigger; g, the sear; h, the sear-screw; i, the sear-spring;

j, the latch; Z, the mainspring; m, the subwell;

77., a locking-recess; 0, a lug on the bolt to enter the same.

8 indicates a locking-recess.

The construction and operation are as follows:

The stock may be of the usual or of any convenient form of construction. The receiver is secured to the stock in the usual manner, excepting as herein especially pointed out, and the barrel is secured into the end of the receiver-frame as heretofore. A recess a, Fig. 1, is cut in the forward end of the receiver to receive the lug 0 upon the forward end of the bolt, Figs. 1, 4, and 5. The walls of this recess are cut at an angle, so that the lug will bear against the rear wall when the bolt is being rotated to lock it in position, and the bolt will thus be drawn forward a distance depending upon the angle at which the cut is made, thus forcing the cartridge firmly into the explosion-chainber, and when the bolt is rotated in the opposite direction to unlock the same the lug bears against the forward wall of the recess 01, and thus the bolt is drawn outwardly a short distance, thus drawing the shell from the explosion-chamber. It will be observed that by the employment of this construction great power will be exerted in forcing the cartridge into and Withdrawing the shell from the explosion-chamber, thus materially facilitating the rapid operation of the device, as great difficulty has been experienced heretofore in obtaining sufficient power to force a tightly-fitting cartridge into the chamber, and as the force of the explosion tends to expand the shell great power is required to start it from the chamber. After being started, however, and moved for a distance of one-sixteenth or one-eighth of an inch the shell becomes so loosened that it may readily be Withdrawn. In some instances to assist in this operation I construct the receiver with a curved face 13 upon its rear wall 0, the curvature of which, of course, is the same as the rear wall of the recess n.

The receiver is provided with a recess 1", in which the heel of the handle-bar rests when the bolt is locked in position for firing, and the rear wall of the recess 1" may be utilized to assist in resisting the strain resulting from the explosion of the cartridge, though I prefer to rely upon the bearing of the lug 0 in its locking-recess.

The boltE is provided at its rear portion with an enlargement 8, Figs. 4 and 5, the forward portion of which is made dovetailed or overhanging, and the cocking-cut is formed in .this enlargement by the cutting away of the stock sufficiently to allow the nose t of the cocking-piece Ct to enter, leaving, however, the body of the bolt the same size throughout, thus avoiding the danger which has been heretofore experienced where the cocking-cut has been made in the body of the bolt at the heel of the handle-bar, thus reducing the stock at a point where great strength is required and so weakening the device that the handle-bar is frequently broken from the bolt.

The extractor-bar T is provided with a dovetailed portion to, which enters the dovetailed portion of the enlargement 8, thus allowing the rotation of the bolt, While preventing all longitudinal movement between the extractor-bar and the bolt.

The sleeve 1) is provided with a like dovetailed part '0, which bears against the dovetailed wall a of the extractor-bar, thus preventing forward movement of the extractor, while permittinga rotation of the sleeve when the cocking-piece is extracted from the slot 2.

The cocking-piece a, firing-pin spindle L, and nose 25 are made integral, thus insuring great strength and rigidity, while lessening the cost of manufacture.

The cocking-piece is provided with a ring y, which may be either arranged Vertically or be constructed to lie horizontally, as may be preferred.

The firing-pin head K is provided with a recess, as shown in Fig. 5, and the end of the firing-pin spindle L is provided with a knob or enlargement z, shaped to enter the recess in the firing-pin head, thus effectually unit.- ing the two and avoiding all danger of separation while in the bolt. Upon removal from the bolt, however, they may be disconnected by moving laterally.

The firing-pin head has its forward end 29 shaped as a pointed or cone-shaped piece, as ordinarily constructed.

The mainspring Z is of the usual form of construction and bears at one end against the firing-pin head K and at its opposite end against the inner end of the sleeve Z).

It will now be seen that ifthe bolt be closed, with the handle-bar down in the locked position and the firing-pin head in its forward position, which position it would occupy immediately after striking the primer, the nose t of the cocking-piece a would rest within the cocking-recess 2, out in the enlarged portion 8 of the bolt, and that a rotation of the handlebar to the left or to its vertical or raised position will operate to rotate the bolt, and as the cocking-piece a and its finger 25 are restrained from rotation by the engagement of the finger t in the slot to of the sleeve 1) and also of the extractor-bar J the end of the nose (5 would be forced rearward because of its engaging against the inclined or cam face of the cocking-recess, and the cocking-piece a would be moved a like distance, carrying with it the firing-pin spindle L and firing-pin head K, thus compressing the mainspring and completely cocking the arm, in which relative position these parts will remain until the handle-bar is again carried downwardly to its locked position, thus leaving the opening clear for the passage of the nose or finger 25 into the cocking-recess, and as the handlebar cannot be rotated while the bolt is drawn outwardly because of the fact that the rib upon its side will strike the receiver-wall upon being rotated at any time excepting when the bolt is in its closed position and upon the bolt being rotated back to its first or normal position the cocking-piece a and the parts attached would be free to return to their normal position if it were not for the fact that the point 3 of tli'e cocking-piece a is engaged by the sear, and thus prevented from further forward movement until the sear is disengaged therefrom by pressure upon the trigger, so that in the act of rotating the bolt for the purpose of drawing the same rearward the arm is cooked. The arm may also be cocked without rotation of the bolt by drawing the cocking-piece a rearwardly, and for convenience for this purpose I provide the cocking-piece a with a finger-ring y.

A recess is provided in the forward end of the extractor-bar J to receive the extractor o, the forward end of which is provided with a latch or catch, and near its rearward portion a stud 27 is formed, which enters a recess adapted to receive it in the extractor-bar, so that upon the extractor becoming broken a new one may be readily substituted without the employment of tools or the use of any fastening device.

The receiver is provided with a subwell m, (see Fig. 2,) within which the cartridges rest as they pass down through the hopper 6, their position being such that when the bolt is drawn outwardly the heel of the cartridge in the subwell will project slightly into the well of the receiver, so that in its forward motion the bolt will engage the heel of the cartridge and force it forward into the well and to the explosion-chamber. The forward portion of the subwell is provided with an incline, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, to guide the forward end of the cartridge upwardly and to the right toward the explosion-chamber.

The advantage to be derived by the employment of the subwell will be readily seen, as all danger of feeding more than one cartridge at a time is entirely avoided without the employment of any operative mechanism.

The hopper e is constructed of a sheet of metal bent and shaped as shown in Fig. 14;, having the hook-shaped projections 4,adapted to engage with the top of the gun-frame, and having holes 33, through which the pin 32 passes, pinning it to the bottom of the frame through similar holes in the frame.

The hopper c has a capacity to receive three cartridges, and the gun may therefore be utilized as a magazine-arm without the employment of the removable magazine, or the arm may be used as a single-loader and the cartridges either inserted directly in the receiverwell or through the hopper to the subwell, and in either event they will be fed, upon carrying the bolt forward, directlyinto the explosion-chamber.

Where it is desired to employ the hopper alone as a magazine and to prevent the escape of cartridges from the top opening, I either provide a cover or a latch j, as shown in Fig. 15, the lip 9 of which projects through a slot or recess 8 in the upper portion of the wall of the hopper and prevents the passage of the cartridge outwardly. Both the upper and lower faces of the lip 9 are made inclined, so that cartridges may be forced into the hopper by merely forcing them downwardly. Pressure upon the cartridges will force the lip outwardly until the cartridge has passed the edge, when the lip will return to its normal position. If it is desired to remove the cartridges from the hopper at the top, then the lip is carried outwardly by hearing against the finger-piece 10, thus opening the passage for the escape of the cartridge at the top.

For use in a fortress or behind breastworks I provide a magazine having a capacity sufficient to hold fifteen or more cartridges, and it will readily be seen that a magazine may be arranged to hold very many cartridges and a very rapid firing be continued, nothing being required to be done excepting to operate the bolt and trigger until the magazine is exhausted, when another may be supplied with the loss of but an instant of time.

For a lock mechanism I' prefer to employ the constructions shown in Figs. 1, 10, 11, and 12, the sear g being provided with a recessed body 11, within which the screw it passes, the end of which is threaded and fits within a threaded recess in the receiver, as shown in Fig. 1. This permits of vertical movement of the sear upon its support, and the tendency of the spring 1 is to maintain the sear in its elevated position.

The trigger is provided with a bifurcated enlargement l2 and with a recess 13. The lower end of the sear-screw his slotted, as shown in Fig. 11, and the shank of the trigger rests within the slotted head, thus avoiding any possible danger of the screw it becoming loosened. The sear is provided with a pin 14, which projects from the sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 12, and this pin enters the recess 13 in the enlarged portion of the trigger. The extreme end 15 of the bifurcated trigger-head bears against the lower rear wall of the receiver, and as the finger-piece of the trigger is drawn rearward the sear will be drawn downwardly in a straight line. To maintain the trigger-head in, position I pass the screw 16 through the opening between the two walls of the head, and thus prevent lateral movement.

The trigger-guard is provided with a recess 17, into which I drop one of the sides forming the strap-loop l8, and secure the same in position by dropping a stud 19 into a recess formed to receive it, which stud projects into the recess 17 and into an annular recess made in the strap-loop. Thus, while permitting the loop to turn on a pivot, movement from side to side is effectually prevented, and to hold the pin permanently in position I upset the trigger-guard immediately adjacent to its head.

For a safety-notch at half-cock I provide the cocking-piece a with a recess 20,into which the nose 21 of the sear g fits, thus preventing the sear being drawn downwardly and effectually locking the cocking-piece and preventing all danger of exploding the cartridges by drawing upon the trigger, and when it is desired to fire the arm the device may be raised to a full-cock by either rotating the bolt to the left, thus carryiu g the -cocking-piece back a sufficient distance to enable the nose of the sear to engage the point on the cocking-piece, or by passing the finger through the ring y and drawing the cocking-piece rearwardly until the sear engages the fullcock notch of the cocking-piece.

The forward end of the receiver is provided with a recess 23, into which the end 24 of the extractor-bar J fits, thus preventing all danger of the end of the extractor-bar being thrown away from the bolt at the time of the explosion and insuring the permanent engagement of the extractor hook with the flange or head of the shell.

The bolt near its forward end is provided with a gas-port 26, and a gas-port 25 is also provided near the heel of the barrel, as shown in Figs. 4 and 9, thus allowing the free escape of the gas.

It will be seen that the mechanism attached to the bolt may be separated by first drawing the cocking-piece rearwardly until the partt escapes from the cocking-notch 2 in the bolt and also from the part 1; on the sleeve 1), after which the sleeve 1) is rotated until the dovetailed part c escapes from the dovetailed recess u in the extractor-bar. The bolt is rotated in the same direction until the dovetailed portion upon it escapes from the dovetailed recess in the extractor-bar, thus leaving the parts entirely free to be separated at pleasure.

For the purpose of ejecting the cartridge when the bolt is drawn rearwardly I form a recess in the frame just back of the receiver and mount within said recess a spring d, the upper wing of which is provided with a point or projection 31, which projects through the lower wall of the receiver, as shown in Fig. l in dotted lines and Fig. 9 in full lines.

The bolt is preferably recessed at its forward end to receive the heel of the cartridge, as shown at 28 in Fig. 5, and a cut is made in the end of the bolt to allow the pin 31 to project upwardly when the bolt is drawn rearwardly into the track of the shell a sufficient distance to engage the heel, thus preventing further rearward movement,while at the same time the extractor-hook is in engagement with the flange of the cartridge at the top, the result being that when the bolt is drawn rearwardly with sufficient force the shell is tilted upwardly and thrown from the receiver-well.

Having, therefore described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination in a breech-loading firearm, of a frame provided with a receiver, a cartridge-receiving recess 122 having its axial center substantially parallel with the axial center of the receiver, said recess being located in part below and in part at one side of the receiver, a hopper-shell 6, adapted to receive a magazine or cartridge packet and telescope the same, and a gate provided with a lug to be moved when the packet is forced downwardly, the wall between the receiver and recess being cut away to permit the passage of the cartridges, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

2. The combination in abreech-loading firearm of a receiver, a bolt adapted to fit the same, provided at its rear end with an enlargement, a cocking-cam recess cut from said enlargement only, a firing-pin, a mainspring, a firing-pin spindle and cocking-piece provided with a part 75, overhanging a portion of the bolt and projecting from the cocking-piece into the cocking-cam recess in the bolt enlargement, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

3. The combination in a bolt-gun of a receiver, a bolt fitting the same, provided with a dovetailed portion S, a sleeve Z2 provided with a dovetail portion 1), and a part J, provided with a dovetailed recess to receive the dovetailed portions S and 11, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

4. The combination in a bolt-gun of a receiver, a bolt fitting the same, provided with an enlarged dovetailed portion S, a sleeve 1) provided with a dovetailed portion 4), a part J, provided with a dovetailed recess to receive the dovetailed parts on the bolt and sleeve, and a cocking-cam on said portion S, and a cocking-piece with part if engaging said cam, and arranged to pass through a slot in the sleeve, and into a cocking-recess in the enlargement, substantially as stated.

5. In a breech-loading firearm, the receiver formed at its forward end with a cam groove or recess 01 and an overhanging part 0 at the rear portion having a rear cam-wall 1) arranged in alinementwith cam-groove n, and a handle-bar recess 1" at the base of the part 0, a longitudinally-movable bolt in the receiver formed with a cam-lug 0 at its forward end to engage in the cam-groove n, and ahandle-bar F, arranged to engage the cam edge p and lock in the recess at the base thereof, whereby the bolt is locked in forward position and the bolt on initial backward rotation will positively start the cartridge from the explosionchamber.

6. The combination in a firearm of a scar provided with a spring-receiving chamber, a spring arranged within said chamber, a stud or screw passing through said chamber and having a slotted head in which the triggerbody moves, and means to draw the sear out of engagement with the cocking-piece, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

7. The combination in a firearm of a sear g provided with a chambered portion and a stud 1-1, a shouldered screw it arranged within said chambered portion, a spring arranged within said chamber bearing at one end upon the screw-shoulder, and at its opposite end upon the upper wall of the recess in said chamber, a trigger f provided with a recess 13 adapted to engage the pin or lug 14, and projecting rearwardly with its end arranged to bear against the lower Wall of the frame, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

8. In a magazine-firearm the combination 20 the cartridge, and to be retracted from the 2 5 cartridge-passage, said latch being pivoted at the end of the hopper, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

THOMAS B. WILSON. Witnesses:

L. T. FARNSWORTH, GEO. SCHAFFER. 

